Ammunition conveyer or rammer for guns.



v I Patented Aug. 29, I899. G. A. SCHOELLER.

AMMUNITION BONVEYER 0R RAMMEB FOR GUNS.

(No Model.)

(Application am m 2, 1899.)

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AMMUNITION OONVEYER 0R HAMMER FOR GUNS. (Application filed. m 2,1599.

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(No Model.)

iihesses: 5. 72 g No. 63!,999. Patented Aug. 29, I899.

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AMMUNITION CUNVE YEB DB HAMMER FUR GUNS. A xicamioi filed May 2, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

GUSTAV A. SCHOELLER, or MlILIlEIM-ON-THE-RUIIR, GERMANY, AssicNoR TO FRIED. KRUPP, or ESSEN, GERMANY.

AMMUNITION CONVEYER OR RAMMER FOR GUNS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 631,999, dated August 29, 1899.

' Application filed May 2, 1899. Serial No. 716,321. (1:10 model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV A. SCHOELLER, a citizen of the German Empire, residing at Miilheim-on-the-Ruhr, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ammunition Conveyers or Rammers for Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an ammunition conveyor or rammer for guns,*consisting of a system of telescopic rack-bars actuated by a pipionengaging the rack-bars one after the ot er.

Like other ammunition-feeds this appara-.

the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a side view of the extended apapplication of the apparatus to paratus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.- Fig. 3 is a side view of the apparatus, the casing being shown in section and the system of rack-bars confined within the casing. Fig. 4 p is a plan of Fig. 3, the cover being partly cut away. Figs. 5 to 9 are detail views to hereferred to hereinafter, Fig. 8 being a section on the line 8 8, Fig. 7, viewed from the left side. Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing the conveying a projectile to the gun.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of a series of rack-bars B B B B, of which the rack-bar B with thehead-piece G is formed as a single bar, while the remaining rack bars B B B are each composed of V s two parallel cheekieces connected at one end by a cross-tie, marked 1) I) la", respectively.) p

The rackbar B is placed between the checks of the rack-bar-B and is guided on it by dovetailed tongues of the bar B engaging corresponding grooves in the bar B, Fig. 8. By this arrangement the rack-bar B is free to slide on the raelebar B and at the same time the shape of the tongues and grooves is such as to hold the eheeksof the bar-.13 together, so that no cross-tie is required at the forward end of B The throwof the rackbar B on the rack-bar B is limited by a pin (1 Figs. 1 and 5, provided on the bar B and engaging a groove c of the bar B, Furthermore, two pawls f Figs. 2 and 6, are provided on the bar 13 said pawls having projeetions it, against which springs g hear, so as to turn the pawls in against the end of a lug h on the bar B when the latter is at the outer end of its stroke, as shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 6, to prevent pushing backof the bar B. The bars B and B are thus coupled together. Of the teeth of the rack-bar B the foremost one, .2 Figs. 1 and 5, is somewhat shorter than the rest, for a purpose tobe referred to hereinafter. The arrangements described above in relation to the bars B and B are repeated on the bars B B respectively, 13 B, in addition to which stops or rests i i and '5 are provided on the lugs h h and ,h", Figs. 1 and 2, the object of which will be explained further on.

From the above description it is seen that the rack-bars forma telescopic system which when shortencd,'Fig. 4., does not occupy much more space than that corresponding to the lengthof a single bar and which when fully extended is secured against pushing in by the pawls f f f being thrown in and abutting against the lugs h h h. r

The rack-bar B is guided on ledges a, Figs. 1, 2, and 8, of the casing A, the length of which is such that the system of rack-bars is entirely within it when shortened the full extent, Figs. 3and 4. A pinion C is so placed within the casing that when the bars are all within the casing, as shown in Fig. 3, it en- I gages only the teeth of the rack-bar B, while, as already stated, the forward teeth-z z z of the rack-bars B B? B are outside the path of i the pinion C. When, then, by turning the pinion C the rack-bar B is pushed out, a forward motion of the rack-bars B B B is exeluded and only commences after the rack-- bar B has arrived near the end of its forward stroke, when one of these bars'after the, other is in the same manner brought into engage-.

ment with the pinion, as will be described tuated by the pinion, spring-bolts D are provided on the cover of the casing, Figs. 3 and 4, which engage the rests or stops 71 i" of such bars as are fully within the casing and hold these bars against forward motion until a force is exerted sufficient to take the camshaped ends of' the bolts D out of the rests. This can only happen when the rack-bars are started forward by the pins (1 d d engaging the ends of the grooves e e 8 Above the pinion C the cover E of the'casing A, Figs. 1, 3, 6, and 7, is also provided with a comb-shaped plate F,.which is shown in detail in Fig. 9. In pushing in the system of rack-bar's the teeth Z l l by their oblique faces on na m engage the pawls f f f and move them out of engagement with the lugs 71/, 7?, and h When the system is entirely pushed into the casing, the projections 70 70 k of the pawls f f f lie against the faces n n n of the teeth I Z Z so that the pawls are held away from the lugs h 72. 72.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: \Vhen the apparatus is not in use, the several parts have the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4. If a projectile or a cartridge is to be carriedto the gun, the pinion O is actuated by hand or by a motor in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. Since the teeth of the pinion O engage the rack-bar B only, the latter alone is first pushed out, and this only until the ends of the grooves e reach the pin (1 of the rack-bar B Fig. 5. As shown in particular by this latter figure,'the rack-bar 13 now carries along the rack-bar B and thereby brings into engagement with the pinion 0 the tooth .2 and in succession the remainin g teeth of the rack-bar B While the pinion is already in engagement with the rackbar B and before the teeth of the rack-bar B have passed the pinion, the projections 70 of the pawls f Fig. 6, leave the teeth of the comb 1 and snap in behind the lugs h, so that when the rack-bar B moves out of engagement with the pinion the rack-bar B now coupled to the rack-bar B, carries the latter forward with it. In exactly the same manner by continued rotation of the pinion C the rack-bars l? and B are brought into action, so that finally the system assumes the. position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. While the system is being pushed out, the spring-bolts in the above-described manner prevent a premature forward motion of any one of the rack-bars by frictional contact with the preceding one. l-Vhen the projectile or cartridge has been pushed entirely into'the gun, the pinion C is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, whereby the whole system of rack-bars is returned into the case A. The instant the first teeth of the rack-bar B are engaged by the pinion and while the rackbar 15 is still in engagement the projections of the pawls f strike against the inclined faces m of the teeth l of the comb F, (see Figs. (land 7,) whereby the pawlsj" are moved away from the path of the lugs h of the rackbar B so that while the teeth of the rack-bar B become disengaged from the pinion C and this rack-bar 13 becomes stationary the remaining bars B B B continue their motion into and toward the casingA. During continued rotation of the pinion C the bar 13 is uncoupled from B and B from 13*, the rackbars finally again assuming the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

What I claim as new is- 1. An ammunition conveyer or rainmer for guns, consisting of a casing; a series of rack bars telescopically connected; a pinion actuating said bars in regular succession, and automatic couplers connecting the bars in succession during their forward movement out of the casing, and uncoupling the same,when pushed into the casing, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. An ammunition conveyer or rammer for guns, consisting of a casin g; a series of rackbars telescopically connected,the first or outer racli-bar consisting of a single bar, the remainder formed of two cheeks connected by cross-ties, the bars connected and guided by dovetailed tongues and grooves; the last pair 'of cheek-pieces guided on ledges on the side of the casin g engaging corresponding grooves in the cheeks; a pinion actuating the rackbars in succession; and automatic couplers, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. An ammunition conveyer or rammer for guns, consisting of a casing; a series of rackbars telescopically connected,the first or outer rack-bar consisting of a single bar, the remainder formed of two cheekpieces connected by cross-ties, the bars connected and guided by dovetailed tongues and grooves; the last pair of cheek-pieces guided on ledges on the sides of the casing; automatic couplers for the rack-bars; a pin-and-groove engagement between the rack-bars; and a pin- 1 ion which, when the system of rack-bars is shortened and confined within the casing, only engages the teeth of the forward rackbar, and then in succession the remaining rack-bars; each bar throwing the next succeeding one into the path of the teeth of the pinion, substantially as and for the purpose specified 4.. In an ammunition conveyer or rammer for guns, the combinationot' a casing; a. series of telescopically-connected rack-bars guided on ledges on the side of the casing; a pinion actuating said rack-bars in regular succession; automatic couplers for the rackbars; and spring-bolts on the casing, engaging rests on the rack-bars to prevent one rackbar from being carried along by frictional contact with the preceding rack-bar, and removed from the rests by the'pull of the pinion transmitted from the rack-bar, engaged by the pinion, to the next succeeding one, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In an ammunition conveyer or rammer for guns, the combination of a casing; a series of telescopically-connected rack-bars guided on ledges of the casing; a pinion a'ctuating said rack-bars in regular succession; spring-bolts on the casing engaging rests on the rack-bars, to prevent outward motion of the rack-bars by frictional contact; the spring? bolts moved out of the rests by the pull of the pinion transmitted from the rack-bar, engaged by the pinion, to the next succeeding one; spring-pawls on the rack-bars and lugs engaged by said spring-pawls to prevent retrograde motion of the bars, and means to disengage the pawls, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In an ammunition conveyor or rammer for guns, the combination of a casing A; a series of telescopic rack-bars; apiniou actuating said rack-bars in regular succession spring-bolts D engaging rests on the rack bars to prevent outward motion by frictional contact, said bolts D being disengaged from the restvby the pull of the pinion transmitted from the rack'bar, engaged by the pinion, to the next succeeding rack-bar; spring-pawls f f f with projections k 70 70 mounted on theraclc-bars' lu s h k 72 on the rack-bars engaged by said spring-pawls to couple suc-' ceeding bars together; and a comb-plate F with teeth Z Z Z, said plate secured to the top of the casing above the pinion and engaging and holding the projections 70 k k to keep the pawls away from the path of the lugs, when the bars are not coupled, releasing the projections and allowing the pawls to snap in and couple the bars as the rack-bar carrying the pawls is started forward, and moving the pawls away from'the lugs by the inclined faces m m m of the teeth Z Z Z as the rack-bar is about to complete its inward stroke, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence ofv two subscribing witnesses.

ensrAv A. SOHOELLER.

\Vitnesses: I

GEO. P.-. PE'ITIT, U WILLIAM ESSENWEIN. 

